Combined thermoelectric safety shut-off and electroresponsive valve



Oct. 6, 1942. H. F. ALFERY 2,297,854

COIIBINED THERMOELECTRIC SAFETY SHUTOFF AND ELECTRORESPONSIVE VALVE v Filed Nov. 9, 1959 Patented Oct 6,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED THERMOELECI'BC SAFETY AND IJLEG'IRORESPONSIVEv Henry F. Alfery, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Milwankec Cms Specialty Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin v Application November Si, 19?9, Serial No. 303,60 Y realms. (ci, 15s-$111.1) This invention relates to safety shutoff desive valves, which improved yconstruction and vices for heating and other apparatus, and has arrangement of these valves provide a device particular reference to a combined thermoclec which is operable to achieve the results herein tric safety shutoff and electroresponsive valve. set forth.

One of the main objects of my invention is It is also an obiect of my'invention to provide to provide a combined thermoelectric safety a combined thermoelectric safety shutoff and shutoff and electroresponsive valve which is operelectroresponsive valve of'runitaryand relatively able automatically to shut oi the supply of fuel simple and inexpensive construction, and which for a burner whenever, for instance, a pilot light may be installed and operated conveniently; also or other flame is extinguished, and having also l0 a device of this character which is adapted for electroresponsive means for shutting off the fuel convenient and expeditious manufacture and as- Supply upon opening of the circuit for4 the elecsembly, and which will operate quietly and withtroresponsive part of the device. `The opening out vibration and effectively `for the purposes and closing of this circuit may be done, for inintended. stance, by a manually controlled switch, or auto- The device also preferably includes means for matically by a switch controlled by an abnormal, setting the electroresponsive valve ln` open posidefective, or insufficient functioning or non-function. l l

tioning of the apparatus, such as a switch con- Another object of my invention is to provide an trolled by a thermostat subject to the temperaimproved pilot fuel supply connection which is ture of the water in the tank of a water heater arranged so that the supply of fuel to the pilot or subject to the temperature of a room or other burner is shut off only by the closing of the space heated by the apparatus, or by a pressure thermoelectric safety valve, this pilot fuel supswitch controlled, for instance, by the pressure ply connection maintaining the supply of fuel of the water in the tank of a water heater. to the pilot burner regardless of the electrore- Another and more specific object of my invensponsive valve. This aspect of theV invention tion is to provideacombined thermoelectric safemay vary widely within the scope of the apty shutoff and electroresponsive valve having (i) pended claims.

an electromagnet and a thermocouple connected Further objects and advantages of the invenin circuit with the electromagnet and placed in tion will be apparent from the following detailed position to be heated by` a pilot light or other description, taken in connection with the acflame, which thermoelectric safety shutoff is companying drawing in which:` adapted automatically to shutoff the supply of Figure 1 is a vertical section through a comgas or other fuel, for instance to the burner, upon bined thermoelectric safety shutoff and electroextinguishnient of the flame to the heat of which responsive valve embodying the present inventhe thermocouple is subjected, and having (2) 35 tion;

in combination with such thermoelectric `safety Figure 2 is a detail section taken on the line shutoff, an electroresponsive valve of the char- 2-2 of Figure 1; and

acier set forth. Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing one The thermoelectric safety shutoff has an armasuitable and illustrative form of thermocouple ture which, when attracted, maintains the for connection in circuit' with the electromagnet thermoelectrically controlled valve open and for the thermoelectrically controlled valve.

leaves the device under the control of the elec- The device is shown and described as a comtroresponsive valve, and when retracted, combined thermoelectric safety shutoff and electropels closing of the thermoelectrically controlled responsive valve for shutting off the supply of valve to shut on the supply of fuel regardless of 4J fuel toV the burner, which, for instance, may be the electroresponsive valve. On the other hand, the burner for a room, oven, or other space the electroresponsive valve, when in operating heater, or the burner for a water heater, converposition, leaves the device under the control of sion heater, or any other burner. the thermoelectrically controlled valve, and up- The device selected for installation comprises on movement to closed or safety position, shuts 0 a valve body l0 having a fuel inlet II and afuel eff the supply of fuel regardless of the thermooutlet l2 which are tapped internally to receive electrically controlled valve. the inlet and outlet pipe sections H' and l2',

Another object of my invention is to provide an respectively. The inlet pipe section receives the improved construction and arrangement of the fuel from a suitable source of fuel supply, and

thermoelectrically controlled and electrorespon- U5 the outlet pipe section leads to the burner.

'I'he valve body ID has an internal wall or partition I4 which has a pair of valve openings I5 and I6 through which communication is adapted to be effected between the inlet chamber I8 which is in communication with the inlet I I, and the outlet .chamber I9 which is in communication with the outlet I2. This communication between the inlet chamber I8 and the outlet chamber I9 is by way of an intermediate chamber 20. The wall or partition I4 separates the chambers I8 and I9 from the chamber 20, and the chambers I 8 and I9 are separated from each other between (the openings Il and I6 by means of a wall or partition 2I. The valve opening I5 preferably has a tubularvalve seat member 22 iixed therein.

Communication between the inlet chamber I6 and the intermediate chamber 20 through the valve seat 22 is controlled by a valve member 24 Ikshown as of cup-shaped form and as adapted `to seat at 25 upon the valve seat 22 preferably in a direction with the flow of gas or other fuel,

-by an annular spring snap ring I2.

The hood and cup. assembly which encloses the electromagnet and amature for the thermoelectrically controlled valve 24 comprises a hood I5 which, in the illustrated embodiment of the invvention, is of generally cylindrical and cupmovement of the armature on the stem so that it may accommodate itself to the pole. ends of the magnet frame. The fit of the armature in the guide means 49 is also preferably of a character to permit this result. The stem 30 extends for reciprocatory movement through an opening 54 in the central depressed portion of the base of the cup 31, and the opening 54 is sealed by packing indicated at 55. The spring 52 is coiled about the stem 30' and interposed between the valve member 24 and a flange on the cup-shaped washer 56, the spring 52, in addition to compelling the valve 24 to closed p0- sition and the armature 46 to retracted position upon extinguishment of the flame, serves also to compress and hold the packing 55 in tight sealing relation about the stem 30 and adjacent the opening 54.

In view of the inability of Vthe relatively weak or feeble thermoelectric current to actuate the armature from retracted position to attracted position and, with it, the valve 24 from closed to open position, the device is provided with reset means. This reset means comprises a reciprocatory reset stem 60 which is disposed coaxial with the stem 30 and is guided in a reset stem guide 62. Theguide 62'has pressed ilt or is otherwise secured in a tubularboss l63 integral with l the valve bodyfIII.

'I'he stem 60 extends icentrallythrough a flow interrupter disc B4 and -has-a reset stem nut 65 i threaded or otherwise lsecured upon itsinner shaped form provided at its inner end with anv external ilange 36. A metal shell or cup 91 has pressed ilt or is otherwise suitably secured in the inner end of the hood and encloses and seals the interior of the hood from the deleterious actionof the gas or other fuel which passes through the valve body. The hood as is clamped to the valve body I0 by a union nut' 3l, with the hood and cup assembly closing the opening 39 in the -valve body I9. A union gasket may be provided as lindicated at 4I).

The electromagnet, which is sealed within the hood and cup assembly, comprises a magnet frame, the pole ends of which are shown more or less schematically at 42.v The form of the magnet frame may-vary widely within the scope of the present invention. The electromagnet coil 44 surroundsthe legs of the magnet frame, and

the lead terminals of the coil are connected in circuit with .the thermocouple as will presently appear.

The armature 46 is disposed within the yhood and cup assembly, and is also sealed from the gaseous or other fuel by this hood and cup assembly. 'The armature 46 is shown as secured i tothe outer end oi the valve stem 30 by a cradle or connection means48 and is guided for reciprocatory movement by suitable guide means 49.

This may vary widely. The armature 46 is adapted to be held in attracted position against the tov closed'position and the armature 46 to retracted position.

Thelattachment of the armature 46 to the stem 20 may, if desired, be suiiiciently loose or oi a character to permit a generally universal end. The guide liz'isrecessedat `66, and iltting within this recess are va pairofl gaskets 61 bef tween which an asbestos or other'suitablepacking 68 is disposed. The reset stern 60 has reciprocatory movement through the inner end of otherwise suitably secured upon the outer end y c of the reset stem 69.

For the purpose of normally maintaining the ilow interruptor disc 64 in open position, as shown, and the reset button 12 in outwardly projected position, a spring 15is interposed between the gland 10 and the, button 12. This spring 15, which is coiled about the stem 60, performs the added function of maintaining the packing in tight sealing relation about the stem 6I) vto seal the device against leakage of gas or other fuel along the reset stem. A spring 18 is interposed between the ow interrupter disc 64 and the valve body, and serves to compel the ow interrupter, disc 64 inwardly to closed position engaging with the adjacent end of the valve seat 22 when the reset button 12 is pressed inwardly to reset the valve 24 to open position and the armature 46 to attracted position. Engagement of the iiowv interrupter disc 64 with the valve seat 22 shuts oil the supply of fuel during the resetting operation, upon completion of which the reset stem 60 is projected outwardly to the position shown, thereby actuating the iow interruptor disc 64` to open position. The reset button 'I2 may be guided, for instance, at 8U in the outer end of the tubular boss 63. v

Two pilot supply ports, only one vof which is shown at 82, open outwardly from the passage or opening defined by the valve seat 22 between the valve seating end upon which the Iio'w interrupter disc 64 seats and the valve seating end upon which the valve 24 seats. 'I'he outer ends of these ports 82, which are cored through the valve body, are disposed diametrically opposite each other and have threaded openings so that a pilot fuel supply tube may be connected to either port 82. The other port is closed by a removable screw or plug 99.

With the pilot supply ports 02 positioned as shown. it will be apparent that a supply of fuel is set up to the pilot burner as long as the valve 24 is in open position, and that when the valve 24 closes, it not only shuts off the supply of fuel tothe main burner but also the supply of fuel to the pilot burner. As the valve 24 is moved to open position in the resetting operation, the flow interrupter disc seats upon the adjacent end of the valve seat 22 to shut oif the vsupply of fuel to the main burner, but the pilot supply ports 02 being located anterior to the flow interrupter disc 04, a pilot supply of fuel will be set up as 'soon as the valve 24 is opened and will continue with the ow interrupter disc 04 in closed position so that the pilot burner may be ignited to set up the thermoelectric current for energizing the electromagnet whereby to hcld the armature 40 in attracted position beforethe ow interrupter disc 94 is moved to open position upon release of the reset button 12. N

While any other suitable or preferred form of thermocouple or thermopile may be employed within the scope of the present invention, the particular thermocouple shown in the drawing is of the general character disclosed and claimed in Oscar J. Leins Patent No. 2,126,564, granted August 9. 1938. `It comprises an outer tubular metallic thermocouple member 05 and an inner Vmetallic thermocouple member 99 device merely by unthreading the connector nut 99 from the bushing |00. yAn insulating or other protector cap (not shown) may be threaded upon the bushing |00 to cover and protect the terminal connector means on the hood 95 when the thermocouple leads are not connected thereto.

Communication between the intermediate chamber 20 and the outlet chamber |9 through the valve opening |4 is controlled by a valve member ||0 shown as of cup-shaped form and as adapted to seat at ||2 upon the valve seat surroundingthe opening I9 preferably with the direction of flow of the gas or other fuel through Joined at'oneend to the end'of the outer thern mocouple member 90 to -form the thermal junc-` tion 91 which is adapted to be placed in position to be heated by the pilot light or any other desired flame. An inner lead conductor 94 is joined the valve body. The valve ||0 is carried by. a valve hub ||9 similar to the valve hub 29, the hub ||9 fitting telescopically over the inner end of a solenoid plunger stem ||4 and being aecured thereto by a pin |15. The pin III is held `in place. by an annular spring snap ring III.

The particular electroresponsive valve shown in the drawing is in the form of a solenoid valve of the character disclosed and claimed in Theodore A. Wetzel Patent No. 2,111,232, granted March 15, 1938. 'I'he particular form of this electroresponsive valve may, however, vary within the scope of the present invention.

A The stem ||4, which ispreferably non-magnetic, is slidable ina bore |20 extending longitudinally through the solenoid plunger or armature |2|. The plunger |2| is counterbored at |22 and the stem ||4 has a head |29 outwardly beyond the shoulder |24, with the parts positioned as shown. Upon response of the armature to energization of the magnet coil |20, the shoulder |24 in the armature engages the head |29 with an impact or hammer-like blow positively j to release the valve ||0 from its seat, and thereto the inner thermocouple member to form an i internal thermal junction 99, and an router tubular lead conductor 90 is connected to the outer thermocouple member 99, for instance -throughf a sleeve 92,- to form a third thermal junction 99.` The outer lead conductor 90 encloses thel inner lead conductor 99, and with the outer thermocouple member and sleeve 92 constitutes an" enclosure j about the inner thermocouple". member and the inner lead conductor and the internal thermocouple iunction 99. The inner lead conductor 99 upon the upward movement ofthe armature lifts the valve I9 to open position.

The amature |2| is slidable longitudinally in `a solenoid guide tube |29 of non-magnetic material, which tube is closed at its upper or outerkend by a plug|99 of magnetic metal.` Themagnet coil|2lsurrcunds the upper portion of the v f tube/|29 and.'upon energization, draws `the arma- 4ture upwardly toward the plug |90.V The upward attraction imposed on the armature |2| upon 'energization 'of the' coil `|29 may vbe' augmented is insulated. from the, outer `lead conductor 90,

for instance by a wrapping of insulationfon the,v

inner lead conductor as indicated at 99.

One of the lead conductors( 99, 99 is'cornected@v to oneot the terminal leadso! the electromagnet]v coil 44, and` `the "otherlead conductor-may vbe also be grouhdedto complete the thermoelectric circuit.

The thermocouple leads are preferably coninstance, to the hood `by amagnetic or fluxsleeve |92 which surrounds the upper end-of the tube |29,v g

. The tube f |29 is preferably closedand sealed `at its outerjend, andfthereby servesuas a sealing n tube to" prevent leakage from the valve body |0.

f [l .The lower or innergendof the tube .|29 is fixed in a tube" support |99 threaded Vinto .the valve- I0. Agasketf-.mayfbe provided at |94, and y n e l*the support |99 has diametrically opposite open- Y connected to theother terminal lead of they coil .44. or may be grounded, for

" L99 or any other part `of the device, in which l case the other terminal lead for Vthe coil 44 will# `ings `|905 for engagement by a spanner` wrench orothertoolctoscrew the support into and out lof place. A magnetic or fiuxfwasher isprovided at |99, and an enclosing hood is provided at |40.

y The hood is .surmounted by a cover |4| which in its entirety at 99, although this, of course,` may vary., 'Ihe quick detachable connector 99 shown in the drawing is of the-general character disclosed and claimed in the copending application of John H. 'lhornbermerial No. 291,131, filed August 21, 1939. The lead extension connector nut thereof is shown at 99, and the threaded metallic connector bushing is shown at |00.' The thermocouple leads are disconnected from the O top of the hood |40. Insulation, in the form of an insulating spool, is provided for the coil |25 as indicated at |49, and a suitable wrapping may vbe provided around the outer periphery of thev )may be in the form of a name plate, and this cover and the hood |40 are held in place by hood f retaining screws |42threaded at their lower ends into the valve body |0. The flux washer |99 is e preferably fastenedin place by additional screws (not shown), although, if desired, itvmay'be fastened in place by the same screws which fastenk the hood |40 in place.

The flux sleeve k|92 is shown as carried by the coil. spring washer |46 is'preferably interposed between the under sideof the top of the hood |40 and the outer end of the insulating spool |45. A recess |48 in the under side of the mag` -netic plug |30 accommodates a solenoid plunger plug, |49 secured in the upper end of the armature |2|. The plug |49V is preferably non-mage netic, and prevents the armature |2| from directly contacting the plug |30, thereby precluding residual magnetism in the armaturev from holding the valve open after deenergization of the coil |25.

' Asshown in Figure 2, the amature |2| comprises a body of magnetic metal of irregular but generally triangular cross section. The unbalanced or'eccentric distribution of the mass in the plunger |2| gives.the same a relatively low magnetic reluctance along the side of greatest mass, so that upon energization of the coil the armature |2| not only rises to open the valve and tov enter the enclosure dened by the magnetic sleeve |32, but is also drawn sidewise and held against the inner surface of the guide tube |26.

` This hugging of the armature against the inner the upper end of the armature iii tightly against I the plug and thereby against endwise vibration With the rattling which would result. Stability is thereby provided not only laterally, but also in a longitudinal or endwise direction.

The coil |25 has lead terminals i5@ extending down along one "side of the coil and within the hood |40. These leads, which are shown as in sulate'd, are provided at |58 'with insulating tubing and are'adapted to be led out laterally from l either of the opposite sides of the valve body through an opening it@ cored transversely thereu through. The opposite ends of this opening itil are internally threaded to receive closure plugs |62, one of such plugs closing the end of the opening from which the coil leads are not extended. The leads |56 are adapted to be connected to any suitable source of current supply,

Vsuch as a 11G-volt circuit or any other suitable circuit. This circuit (not shown) is provided .with a manually operable switch or with a switch which may be operated automatically, as, for instance,` by an abnormal, defective, or insufficient functioning or non-functioning of the apparatus, such as a switch controlled by a thermostat subject to the temperature` of the water in the tank of a water heater, or subject to the temperature of a room or other space heated by the applaratus, or by a pressure switch controlled, for instance, by the pressure of the Water in the tank of a wateiheater. This may vary widely.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When the pilot burner or other flame to the heat of which the thermocouple is subject is extinguished, the electromagnet within the hood is deenergized, or at least the holding action thereof ceases to be suiicient to hold the armature 46 attracted to the poles oi' the magnet frame and the spring 52 compels the valve 2li to closed position as shown, thereby shutting oli the supply of fuel to the main burner and, in the illustrated embodiment ci the invention, also shutting ofi the supply of fuel to the pilot burner. In the movement of the valve 2t to closed posin tion the armature it moves to retracted position.v

When it is desired to reset the thermoelectrie part of the device, the reset button l2 is pressed inwardly. This moves the reset stem nut 65 into engagement with the valve 24, and continued inward movement of the reset stem moves the valve 24 to open position and the armature it to at-J tracted position. As the reset stem is pressed inwardly, the flow interruptor disc follows under the action of the spring 18 and seats upon the adjacent end of the seat i5 to shut ofi the supply of fuel to the main burner during the resetting operation. As soon as the valve 24 is unseated in the resetting operation and regardless oi the flow interrupter 64, a supply of fuel is set up through the pilot port t2 to the pilot burner. The pilot burner may be lighted and the heat of the pilot flame upon the hot junction El' oi' the thermocouple creates a thermoelectric ourn rent in the coil dfi, energizing the .electromagnet and causing the armature d@ to be held positively Iagainst the inner end of the magnet frame t2 hy position the attraction of the amature 4t.

When the circuit through the coil |25 is closed, the armature iii is drawn upwardly and actuates the valve liti to open position where it remains as long as the coil l is energized. Upon den energization of the coil ld, as, for example, upon opening of the manual or automatic switch in the circuit for this coil, the armature l2| is released and drops by gravity, closing the valve iid with impact or with a hamrnerdike blow and holding the valve closed as long as the coil 25 is deenergized. The armature of the thermoelectric safety shutoff, when attracted, maintains the tlierincelectrically controlled valve open and leaves the device under the control of the electroresponsive valve lill, and the armature Vi is retracted, it compels closing of the valve @d regardless of the valve iid. On the other hand, the valve itil, when in open posiiion, leaves the device under the control ci the therinoelectrically controlled valve 2li, and upon movement to closed or safety position, shuts on the supply oi fuel to the main burner regardless of the valve 2d.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, I show a manual control screw H5 which is adapted to be threaded inwardly into the valve body at il@ to engage the center of the lower end of the valve hub il@ for the purpose of Y setting the valve il@ in predetermined open position. With this valve set in open position by the screw H, the device will thenoperate solely under the action of thethermoelectric control. A control screw cap HS is threaded into the valve body over the outer end of the screw |i5 to close the same, and a gasket mayfbe provided as indicated at 79.

I do not intend to be limited to the precise details shown or described.

I claim:

l. In combination, a valve body having a pair of valve openings therein, a valve controlling one of said valve' openings, a second valve controlling the other opening, therrnoelectric means including a thermocouple adapted to be subjected oil valve biased to a closedfposltion andl co'ntrolling the :flow through said valve seat memi ber, an eiectromagnet which, when energized,V is

adapted to hold said valve open, a pilot burner. a thermocouple subject to the heat of the pilot flame and connected in circuit with said electromagnet to energize same by the heat of the flame on the thermocoupl,' a solenoidvalve "controlling the owthrough the port between the intermediate and outlet chambers, mean's for re' setting the safety shutoff."y valve to open position, ow interrupter means movable in the 'resetting operation into engagement with thevalve vseat member between the linlet and intermediate chambers to shut o during the resetting operation the ow to said intermediate chamber and thereby the tlow to said outlet chamber regard- 'less of the position of said solenoid valve, a pilot supply pipe leading from said valve seat member between the ends thereof `for supplying fuel to'saidI pilot burner when the safety shutoff valve lis open and the flow interrupter means is closed,

and means for lsetting the solenoid valve in predetermined kopen position.

l HENRY F. ALFERY. 

